HEALTH/WELLNESS - October 2007

To me, "health" can be physical, psychological, emotional, etc. "Wellness", on the other hand, happens more when all our various "healths" are working together like a well-oiled machine. Maybe the word I'm looking for is that wellness is more "esoteric" than health.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I would concentrate on that for now, and work through a different aspect of health or wellness each month. (You may have noticed I'd "gone pink" for the month, and would like to encourage anyone else to do the same. There's still time!)

Two main obstacles with breast cancer are fear of the unknown and fear of death.

The American Cancer Society has a great page with basic facts (and of course links to just about anything you would want to know.

They also have a great resource called the NexProfiler Treatment Option Tool for Breast Cancer that helps those (women AND men) with breast cancer with choices they need to make concerning their health care.

I also looked at the About.com site for cancer and found a list of celebrities who had cancer and survived, which I thought might be an inspiration for people. Actress Edie Falco, singer Melissa Ethridge and activist Gloria Steinem are just three of the list of well-known survivors of breast cancer. I remember watching a Montel Williams show once where he talked about his breast cancer ... so it's not just for women anymore, KWIM?

One of the easiest things to do to fight cancer if you already have it, or reduce your risk if you don't is by eating cancer-fighting foods. (OT here: I think it's a little funny that a search for "Top Ten Cancer Fighting Foods" yielded more results than simply "Cancer-fighting foods".) Here are the top ten:

1. tomatoes
2. broccoli sprouts
3. berries
4. soybeans
5. tea
6. pumpkin
7. spinach
8. garlic
9. pineapple
10. apple

Of course, different sites will give you different lists, I found that out in a hurry. :)

Here are some closing words from The Buddha:

May all beings everywhere
plagued with sufferings of body and mind
quickly be freed from their illnesses.

May those frightened cease to be afraid,
and may those bound be free.
May the powerless find power,
and may people think of befriending one another.